A Dallas ISD executive suspected of submitting a fabricated invoice for moving expenses has resigned and reimbursed the district.

Dora Sauceda began working in DISD in July. She was executive director over 12 schools in the Pinkston High School feeder pattern.

A DISD preliminary internal audit, obtained by The Dallas Morning News, noted that “an invoice from C&W Moving Company, dated July 21, 2012 raised multiple questions in regards to its authenticity.” It did not name the employee who turned in the invoice for $4,082.

But documents The News obtained in an open-records request show that Sauceda, 47, submitted such an invoice on July 21. She moved to Dallas from Brownsville, where she worked as a curriculum and instruction administrator.

Documents show that Sauceda hired C&W Moving to move her and her husband, Frank, to Dallas in July. The company doesn’t appear to be registered with the Texas Secretary of State, nor is it registered with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, as state law requires. The address for the moving company is to a home registered to Frank and Noe Sauceda, Frank’s brother. Noe is an assistant professor at the University of Texas-Pan American.

Sauceda defended her actions in a prepared statement and said no guidelines exist in DISD with respect to moving companies and them being bonded or certified.

“I did not submit reimbursement expenses for more than I spent to move to Dallas,” Sauceda stated. “I did not pay any family member to move me. I have reimbursed the district $4,083. Had I known for certain that I could be reimbursed for moving expenses prior to my move, I would have handled this differently. Dallas is an up and coming district and under the direction of Mr. Miles it will become one of the best urban districts in the country.”

Sauceda was among 21 executive directors hired by Superintendent Mike Miles, who began on July 1.

Earlier this week, Miles largely dismissed the numerous violations of district policy cited in the audit. He said that an initial review by the district’s legal department completed last week showed that no polices were broken and nothing illegal or unethical occurred.

Miles has not yet returned a call for comment. But in a statement he made today on the district’s website, he held firm that he and his leadership team “abided by all laws, policies, and ethical practices.” He called claims made in draft audit “erroneous.”

In part, Miles sated:

“A draft audit report was prematurely released to The Dallas Morning News. We have submitted a response to the auditor. I know that people want to see the administration’s response to the audit as soon as possible. I also understand that in many respects the community `has seen this movie before’ and therefore may be predisposed to believe the released report. After the past six months of countless meetings with community groups and individual stakeholders, I am starting to understand the past history of Dallas ISD.

“My team and I are eager for you to read the response, but that will have to wait until after the audit committee meets to discuss it. I will say that our response to the report shows that my senior leadership team and I abided by all laws, policies, and ethical practices. But beyond the technical points, the report will show that my team and I acted with a sense of urgency and changed some past practices to get things done. These changes in processes were permissible under law, policies, and the authority given to me by the Board in my contract.

“That does not mean that my team and I haven’t made any mistakes. If I had to do it over again, I would have slowed down to allow people in the system a chance to implement changes more effectively. This past summer was a unique time when my team and I worked quickly to hire six Cabinet members, five Assistant Superintendents, and 21 Executive Directors.

“The erroneous claims made in the draft audit report also do not mean that the departments do not have processes that need improving.”

But DISD board President Lew Blackburn said there is some truth in the report, based on Sauceda’s resignation and reimbursement.

“I guess in a way the most current action provides some validity to what’s in the report,” he said.

A Dec. 6 draft of the audit, obtained by The News, found that Miles and other senior managers broke various rules and policies as he drafted a team of administrators to carry out his district improvement plan. The violations mostly involved moving expenses and hiring practices as Miles transitioned to DISD from his former job running a school district in Colorado Springs.

The audit portrayed a climate in which some employees who objected and tried to follow district rules were overruled by “senior management.”

The audit was still in draft form earlier this week, awaiting an administrative response. After the final version is compiled, it will be submitted to the school board’s audit committee for approval. It is also expected to be discussed by the full board.

Blackburn said he hopes to have the final report early next week.

(Click here for the full text of Miles’ statement and for a video of him discussing the matter).